Psychosocial and Diet-Related Lifestyle Clusters in Overweight and Obesity

Abstract

This study explored intraindividual multidimensional profiles integrating psychosocial factors, namely, body image and satisfaction, weight-related self-stigma, positivity, and happiness, and behavioural-lifestyle factors, namely, adherence to a healthy diet, among Spanish adults with overweight or obesity. We further aimed to investigate the association of excess weight (i.e., measured body mass index, BMI) with the abovementioned multidimensional configurations. A convenience sample of adult individuals with excessive weight completed self-reports regarding the study variables, and their weight and height were measured. With a perspective centred on the individual, a cluster analysis established three distinct intraindividual psychosocial and diet-related profiles: a group of healthy individuals with excess weight; a group of individuals who were negatively affected by their excessive weight and showed the most distressed profile; and a group of dysfunctional individuals who seemed to be excessively unrealistic and optimistic regarding their excessive weight and unhealthy lifestyles. Furthermore, individuals in the affected cluster had higher obesity. The results showed that there are specific psychosocial and lifestyle profiles in the adult population with excess weight and that there are relationships among psychological, behavioural, and body-composition factors. For clinical application purposes, it is important to account for the heterogeneity within individuals who are obese.

Psychological Inflexibility in Spanish Adults: Characteristics of Emotional Eating and the Healthy Eating Index

“…Emotional eaters are particularly prone to consuming foods high in fat, sugars, and calories in response to negative emotions [12]. These eating habits, combined with higher body weight, place emotional eaters at increased risk for diabetes and heart disease [13,14]. Emotional eaters are half as likely as non-emotional eaters to achieve the 10% weight loss goal of standard behavioral weight loss treatment [15].…”

Psychosocial Resources and Diet-Related Lifestyle in Overweight and Obesity: A Cluster-Based Study

“…Previous research has stressed the relevance of body image (Grogan, 2017) among individuals with overweight and obesity (Chao, 2015;Latner & Wilson, 2011;Weinberger et al, 2016). Most people with excess weight perceive themselves as such, even when they do not have completely accurate perceptions of their weight (Bibiloni et al, 2017;Godoy-Izquierdo et al, 2019, 2020aIbáñez-Zamacona et al, 2020;Varela et al, 2019). A considerable number of persons, particularly females, with overweight and obesity have negative body self-perceptions, are dissatisfied with their bodies, and wish they were thinner (Bibiloni et al, 2017;Chao, 2015;Ibáñez-Zamacona et al, 2020;Silva et al, 2019;Varela et al, 2019;Weinberger et al, 2016).…”